Statues may surprise Moloko fans pulled in by 2000's Things to Make and Do as this is no cheesy attempt to cash in on the Ibizian success of "Sing It Back" and "The Time is Now". With a voice like a latter day Kate Bush, anything sung by vocalist Roisin Murphy is going to come out sounding like the post-Apocalyptic gospel, and producer Mark Brydon's artistically complex arrangements are like hearing a new beautiful language. The album begins in a dancefloor-friendly vein with the appropriately titled "Familiar Feeling", but "I Want You", the orchestral "Over and Over" and the somber title track are steeped in a newly grown-up melancholy. However, the mischievousness and electro-soul found in the likes of "100%" and "Cannot Contain This" are always there to bring things back to the party again. -Ruby Tuesday.

Once again Cream go out of their way to bring the soul back to dance music. Cream Classics Volume 2 builds on the successful first compilation and brings back some of that fantastic old skool. You get a triple CD Box Set with 50 of Creams favourite dance fillers going right back into the 80's; now that's old skool. There is a truly interesting selection of music here that spans a wide spectrum of dance. It's an historical account of tunes from the last couple of decades that helped to define the genre. You won't find a foul tune on any of the CDs, which are all very listenable. You will, however, find some real gems. Going all the way back, New Order's "Blue Monday" is very nostalgic. Some real turn-of-the-decade, defining-times, tracks are included like Orbital's "Chime" and The Future Sound of London's "Papua New Guinea. There is a definite lean toward funky house on this box-set, which adds some real life to the electronic sounds. [+]

Basement Jaxx's debut is aptly titled. The production duo's music is a remedy to the dull, faceless house and techno that populates dance floors world-wide. The duo are unrepentantly pop savvy, bringing vocals and lyrics to their unique blend of electro, house, hip-hop, salsa and soul. It's a weird combo, but like the best of all pop songs, Basement Jaxx tracks stick like putty to the ears within a few listens. In fact, you may feel that you've already heard much of Remedy when you give it a spin on your CD player. With their boisterous samples, vocal hooks, and funked-out, catchy bass lines, the songs "Rendez-vu", "Yo-Yo," and "Red Alert" seem like familiar friends, rather than just the next big thing. -Tricia Romano.

By coincidence, the opening bars of Basement Jaxx's third album, Kish Kash, sample the intro to Jimi Hendrix's third album Electric Ladyland. Although the record doesn't have the ingenuity of the latter, there are similarities in the composition: layers of tweaks, beeps and found sounds create a soundscape backdrop for the music. Anyone searching for the Latin-styled "cut & paste" floor fillers of Remedy will be disappointed, as Kish Kash explores further the uncharted realms of accessible house music. Opener "Good Luck"-featuring the Bellrays' Lisa Kekaula-is classic Motown juxtaposed with contemporary rock, punk and disco-house. It works well, but despite the signature heavy bass and drums, it lends itself to attentive listening rather than outright dance-floor mayhem. "Lucky Star", the lead single with labelmate Dizzee Rascal, is an urban monster in a similar vein to "Jump and Shout", mixing their style with Dizzee's and setting it to a Middle Eastern melody. It would fit comfortably at a hip-hop, breaks or UK garage night. The title track, with its vocal from Siouxsie Sioux, is heavily influenced by punk, and the overwhelming energy carries it convincingly as a dance-rock crossover. "Plug It In", the collaboration with JC Chasez (Justin "too busy or expensive" Timberlake's former bandmate), is unquestionably Kish Kash's party anthem. The solid rhythm section, rock guitars and anthemic chorus add up to classic Basement Jaxx, a definite crowd-pleaser with enough clever ideas to keep it just left of centre. [+]

Signed to trendy dance label Deconstruction, Way Out West's self-titled debut showcases their talents as being one of the innovators of Ibiza style trance dance music. Composed principally of Jody Wisternoff and Nick Warren (both influential DJs in their own right) and occasional guest artists, Way Out West emerged out of the trendy Bristol dance scene during the mid-1990s. Their distinctive sound meshes creative samples (including vocals, bird song and speech from films) with soft chords and a drum & bass backing track. However, their soundscapes are never cluttered, with samples and beats being introduced at equal regularity. The vocals on "The Gift" are truly angelic, and indeed most of the tracks are ideal for chilling out. -John Galilee.